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Team Leadership Guide
This article is designed to help newer players start to get a grasp of how leadership of a small unit works. After some quick tips about preparation, we will go over communication, intelligence, movement, and initiative. Team Preparation It is important to ensure your team has the proper tools for the task at hand. I recommend that all squads have one Grenadier, one disposable AT launcher (M136-HP), and one Gunner for suppression. Make sure you know who your "second in command" or, "2IC"(for short) and battle-buddy teams are. Communication As a small unit that is part of a large fighting force, communication is the most important tool you can utilize. I will discuss how to communicate to your team, to your squad lead, and with other team leaders. Initiation of radio traffic on a command net should be started with “Station this is Station, Over” and responded to with “This is Station”. Never switch the order of stations. Note on pro-words: *“Over” means I have ended my message and require a response *"Out" says I am ending this conversation. I am not expecting a response. If you get "out-ed" you must re-initiate radio traffic *“Repeat” is a request to artillery to send the same fire mission again *“Say Again” is the pro-word to request the message be sent again. '' DO NOT CONFUSE “SAY AGAIN” WITH “REPEAT”'' "Echo" We operate in “Echo” teams here at Sigma. It's also one of the easiest ways to lead a team, if you have no clue for what else to do. When you hear orders or relevant information on one of your nets, acknowledge it on the first net, and then ECHO it on the second. For example: Command Net: “Echo 3 this is Echo 1” “This is 3” “3 cross to the east side of the road, move North to RP Jericho, clear any buildings with contact en route” “3 Copies, cross road, clear North to Jericho” Echo 3 Net: “3 we are crossing this road, then moving North. Command wants us at RP Jericho. If we take contact, we are fully clearing the entire position. All right let’s go.” While the abbreviated read back isn’t required, I recommend you do it to ensure your commander knows you know. If you cannot comply for whatever reason (pinned down, healing, dealing with a priority task), don’t copy. Say “cannot comply, 3 is pinned” or “negative, 3 is pinned”, and communicate that you cannot complete the task that has been given. Inside Your Team Here we have to communicate both action and intent. Your team will do fuck all if you don’t tell them what to do. Your team won’t do what you want if you don’t convey intent behind the action. So how do you convey intent? That’s the difficult part. We have to tell them why we are doing something, without being long winded. Instead of saying “We are holding here”, say “we are supporting 2 into the FOB” or “we are blocking QRF from using this MSR to launch counter attacks”. Not only does this tell your team what you are doing (staying put) but your primary goal while you do it, (suppressing or blocking). It gives them more direction and makes them feel useful. Know your team member’s names, you get much more performance if you task them by team. “Someone flank around and take out that MG nest” isn’t going to get you the same results as if you say “Johnson, Perez, flank around and take out that MG nest” Between Teams Communication between teams should be conducted in a similar manner to communications with a squad leader, however these communications should used to coordinate movements etc. This should be used to coordinate bounding and lay of supporting fire. Initiative After communication the most important factor of leadership is initiative. If you wait for someone to tell you what to do, you will end up sitting passive and being over run. If you do exactly, precisely what you are told, without regard for conditions, your team WILL take casualties. Team leading is a delicate balance between preempting squad orders, and delaying squad orders. Taking Initiative In Movement Just because you have a commander doesn’t mean they are going to micromanage you, nor should they. You need to move your team in a way that keeps them safe, and supports the other teams. Don’t just do what you’re told, do what gets the objective completed as quickly and safely as possible for the entire unit. This goes back to the point of commander's intent. Taking initiative in Command Most often this is important for when the squad lead or ground command goes down. When this happens you should hear someone in command’s team say “E1 2IC stepping up”. Someone should take control of the movements from here, not '1’s' 2IC. Do this if no one has. It is also good to do this with movements, don’t be afraid to organize bounding. 'Intelligence' Although you should not expect to be tasked with gathering intel, if you are sent to an Observation Point (OP) take into consideration the following; Gaining Intel If the command element sends you to an OP to gain intel take into consideration: * Updates to cover & concealment (the map isn’t accurate) * Defensive additions Updates to the enemy movements and positions * Specific vehicle types, current locations, and activity levels Denying Intel Maintaining Concealment Concealment is your greatest security. The enemy can’t shoot you if they don’t know where you are. Smokes can provide concealment, but also reveal your location. Observation Points While these positions often have a great view of hostile positions, they are often exposed. Also consider that the enemy also knows it’s an advantageous location, and may have a presence there. Don’t send more than two people to observe the enemy 'Movement & Formations' It is recommended you read the entire formations guide, for team leadership there are a few you must know. These are the team wedge, team file, squad column and squad line. These can all be found in the formations guide. A team leader should also be knowledgeable in bounding and fire and maneuver as seen below.'''' Bounding Bounding is utilized when open ground must be covered with sparse cover available. One team suppresses the enemy while the other team advances to cover, ideally behind smokes. Being on-line means both teams have all members of both teams engaging the enemy by firing in the same direction. While this isn’t a maneuver, and the most you should hear about this is “a is holding for b to get online”, it's an important tool to use in coordination with your squad. Category:Unit Tactics